Bring on the Bad Guys: Sheldon Lennox

Real name: Sheldon Lennox
A.K.A.: Sin Fang
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#35 (January 1940)
Abilities: Leader of the Cult of Kila
Weapons: House of torture
Quotes: "You...Alive!"
Worst Act: Faking his death and leading a murder cult
Created by: Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited), Sheldon Moldoff (pencils/inks)

Here we have a slightly different type of villain. When the story starts we are introduced to Mr. Weldon, a businessman. He's in the grip of terror, but mostly for the man Sheldon Lennox. Lennox sold him a ruby idol of the Hindu deity Kila (not a real deity, but I suppose Finger could be excused given the state of reference materials in 1940). The cult that worshipped the idol wants it back. They've threatened to kill Lennox and then Weldon unless he gives it back. When the police rush to Lennox's house, they find the cult in retreat, the grisly proof of their visit evident.

After that, Batman investigates a fence ring run by the enigmatic Sin Fang, who has stolen the idol. But why does Sin Fang want the statue so badly?

The story is pretty good, although the racial aspect of Lennox's disguise has not aged well.  

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Duc D'Orterre

Real name: The Duc D'Orterre
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#34 (December 1939)
Abilities: Leader of the Apache gang
Weapons: Wheel of Chance and his torture garden
Quotes: "I will open the ceiling gate and let him into my flower garden."
Worst Act: Burning away a guy's face is pretty rotten
Created by: Gardner Fox (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited), Sheldon Moldoff (pencils/inks)

Batman goes international in this one, fighting a leader of the infamous Apache gang of Paris. The real gang was more or less forgotten by the 1930's, but the visual of the stripped shirt and slim daggers made a large cultural impact.

The Duc was a pretty rotten fellow. Obsessing over Karel Marie, he kidnapped her brother Charles and burned off his face. The Duc also had some neat torture devices, benefitting his evil nobleman status. He died at the end of his story and so far no one seems to be arguing for his come back.

Bring on the Bad Guys: Carl Kruger

Real name: Carl Kruger
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#33 (November 1939)
Abilities: Leader of the Scarlet Horde
Weapons: Fully armed airships
Quotes: "Master of the world, another Napoleon..."
Worst Act: Bombing Gotham City from the air
Created by: Gardner Fox/Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited), Sheldon Moldoff (letters)

Probably the most notable things from issue 33 is the first proper telling of Batman's origin, but as to the story itself Kruger is a mad man obsessed with Napoleon. He also has airships and bombs Gotham to rubble.

He has a neat visual certainly, and his schemes are certainly big scale. No blackmail here, no, he's going for wide scale destruction. The Batman, and his Bat-gyro, make short work of him and by the end of the tale he's stone dead.

Bring on the Bad Guys: The Monk

Real name: (see comments)
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#31 (September 1939)
Abilities: vampire/werewolf
Weapons: vampires and werewolves
Quotes: "Soon your Julie will be as we are..."
Worst Act: Being a vampire and werewolf
Created by: Gardner Fox (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited)


Now here we have an unusual rogue. The Monk is somehow both a vampire and a werewolf, plus his story is the first proper two part story. Kidnapping Julie Madison (Bruce Wayne's rarely mentioned fiancé), with the intent to turn her into a werewolf, the Monk and his assistant Dala were also the first foes properly killed by Batman too. Silver bullets to the head no less.

That would be the last appearance until 1982 when Gerry Conway brought the Monk and Dala back, this time with the origin of being Louis DuBois and his sister Dala. Cruel plantation owners who were cursed by their abused former slaves shortly after the Civil War, the story was basically an Earth-1 update of the first story.

Matt Wagner brought the Monk back for his wonderful Batman and the Mad Monk miniseries, which was basically another update on the story. Worth the effort to read for sure. Wagner added another take on the character, this time a bit more vague. Is his an actual vampire or a former son of Gotham turned cult leader? The story doesn't say one way or another.

Bring on the Bad Guys: Doctor Death

Real name: Dr. Karl Hellfern
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#29 (July 1939)
Abilities: mad scientist
Weapons: poison
Quotes: "A crime such as ours must be sure to attract his attention"
Worst Act: Murder
Created by: Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited). Gardner Fox is also sometimes credited

And here we have (arguably) the first proper super villain Batman ever faced. More of a throw back (or straight usage given the time period) to the old pulp mad scientists, Dr. Death made his debut by threatening the wealthy of Gotham City to pay him a handsome fee or else he'd poison them.

The dear doctor was also the first reappearing villain, returning from his seeming demise in Detective Comics I#30 (August 1939), only now looking like a brown skeleton thanks to his lab blowing up in the previous issue.

This would be his last appearance until 1982, when writer Gerry Conway brought him back using the same methods as before. He would stay gone until 2002, when his brought out of mothballs to face Batgirl in her own series. Since then he has mostly stayed as a background character, using popping up in scenes of mad science or various crime dens in Gotham.

Bring on the Bad Guys: Frenchy Blake

Real name: Frenchy Blake
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#28 (June 1939)
Abilities: Decent cat burglar
Weapons: Gun
Quotes: "One good thing though, the cops think the "Bat-Man" is on it"
Worst Act: Murder and theft
Created by: Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited).

Truly the Pat Benatar of Batman's Rouge's Gallery. A common cat burglar with his own gang, "Frenchy" and his gang were easily dispatched by the Batman, who killed quite a few members before dangling Blake out of a window.

To the best of my knowledge Frenchy hasn't made a single appearance since 1939, so he isn't exactly high on anyone's top ten lists.

Bring on the Bad Guys: Alfred Stryker

Real name: Alfred Stryker
A.K.A.: None
First Appearance: Detective Comics I#27 (May 1939)
Abilities: No powers, but seemed comfortable with a gun.
Weapons: Gun
Quotes:-"Sure...I did it! But you won't send me to the 'chair' for it!"
Worst Act: Well, homicide and attempted homicide are pretty bad.
Created by: Bill Finger (writer) and Bob Kane (artist-credited).


Founding Apex Chemical with his three partners, Stryker got a bit greedy and decided to eliminate them to inherit the company. Pity he decided to do this in Gotham City...


You think for the very first villain ever fought he'd be bigger presence in the Batman series. The story "the Case of the Chemical Syndicate" has been referenced only a few times since then. The first was Batman's 30th anniversary in 1969, which was more or less a retelling. In 1991 the story was remade for the Post-Crisis, with two different retellings. One casting him as a disfigured victim and the other a straight out villain. The last time we saw him (maybe) would be in 2014, with a cameo in the New 52.

So, what exactly can one say about Alfred Stryker? The story is fairly pedestrian. One could easily sub out any of the dozen masked heroes that were running or flying at the time. Not the most exciting story or character, but for historical importance he can't be ignored.